Proview brings iPad trademark fight to Apple's front door

US courts to hear its claims

Proview Shenzen, a Chinese company that claims it still has rights to the iPad name in China, has now brought the fight to Apple's home turf by filing a lawsuit in a US superior court in California.

Proview is continuing to aggressively pursue Apple over the iPad trademark. It has already managed to get the tablets pulled from select stores in China's Guangdong province.

The bankrupt Proview has been asking Chinese courts to ban the sale of the iPad until Apple pays the $1.6 billion it demands.

Now it's brought the case to Apple's front door, taking its corporate beef to US courts in another twist to this lengthy case which has been going on for the last two years.

Defamation escalation

Earlier this week Apple fought back against previous claims and threatened a defamation suit, saying: ""we formally reserve all rights to take further legal action against any individuals and entities for any damages that may result from defamatory statements and unlawful actions intended to wrongly interfere with Apple's business and business relationships."

Proview claims that Apple obtained the iPad name fraudulently when it used a subsidiary called IP Application Development Ltd. to buy the moniker in 2009 for £35,000.